TURIN, ITALY—Despite being at the forefront of an illegal hockey-gambling-ring controversy, former hockey great and head coach of Canada's Olympic hockey team Wayne Gretzky once again reaffirmed his claim that he has never placed a bet on a professional baseball game. "I can say with great certainty that I never bet on the Cincinnati Reds, and that I never bet on baseball, nor do I intend to, nor would I even know where to begin if I were to do so," said Gretzky, who will now likely never gain admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "I would never risk everything to compromise the integrity of a popular, strictly regulated American sport such as baseball. Players and fans know this. Commissioner Selig knows this. Virtually everyone knows this." Gretzky, who has an implicit lifetime ban on playing or coaching in the major leagues, recently came out in support of Pete Rose, saying he doesn't think Rose ever bet on hockey.